Diana Ornelas, a 22-year-old preschool teacher at Stanford University, was arrested on charges of murder while her students were taking their naps, according to The Stanford Daily.
Ornelas was employed at the Children’s Center of the Stanford Community (CCSC), an independent non-profit daycare center catering exclusively to the children of Stanford staff and students.
The arrest took place outside the CCSC campus during naptime, ensuring that no children were present during the incident. The facility’s operations were not disrupted, CCSC officials informed parents.
The murder victim, 24-year-old Oliver Waterfall, was found dead along a Santa Cruz County highway on April 11th. Authorities believe he had been shot approximately one month prior to the discovery of his body.
Ornelas is suspected to have been friends with both Waterfall and 27-year-old Dennis Novoa, who has also been charged in connection with the shooting. The motive behind the murder remains unclear at this time.
Following her arrest, Ornelas was terminated from her position at the CCSC. She is currently being held in custody without bail. She is also scheduled to be arraigned alongside Novoa on May 17th.